Push and pinch contact-plug for flash-lights.



A. BRODY.

PUSH AND PINCH CONTACT PLUG FOR FLASH LIGHTS.

APPHCATION FILED MAY]. 1915.

Patented Sept. 14, 1915.

minesspb: [raven tan i zilexander firefly. 9W by many,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALEXANDER BRODY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PUSH AND PINCH CONTACT-PLUG FOR FLASH-LIGHTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1915.

Application filed May 7, 1915. Serial No. 26,480. i

Hereto ore in electric flash lamps of this type, push buttons have been used suitably located in the casing thereof for convenient operation by hand. In my present'invention, I have provided means whereby the lamp may be operated other thanby hand, if so desired, at which time both hands may be otherwise used and the light be directed at will while so doing.

In Figure 1 is shown a longitudinal sectional view of my-device. Fig- 2 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of the switch plug, closed. Fig. 3 is an enlarged diagrammatic view of the switch plug normally open. Fig. 4: is a modification of the switch plug. Fig; 5 is a perspective view of the switch plug disassembled. Fig. 6 is a view of the switch showing the bayonet locking slot. Fig. 7 is.

a perspective view of oneof the contacts. Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the switch shown inFig. 1. Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 88 of Fig. 8.

By referring to Fig. 1, it will be noted 1 that the general construction of my flash lamp is similar to types already known,.but I have modified the contour of the casing in such a manner as to have it bear likeness to a cigar, and in fact I do, in actual practice cover the outer casing with a wrapper colored to simulate the wrapper on a cigar and I thereby heighten the cigar effect of this flash lamp. To further the cigar-like similarity of my light, I have provided at the mouth end of the cigar a switch in the form of a mouth piece, generally denoted by 1, and

which mouthpiece is split through a portion of its length in order to render it flexible when placed between the teeth so that when the flash light is placed in the mouth (in the customary fashion of a cigar) and held between the teeth with a fairly firm.

grip, interiorly arranged contacts 2 and 3 are caused to come together at a point 4 thereby closing the circuit and causing the lamp 5 to flash.

The construction of the lamp is as follows: The outer casing, generally denoted by 6, is comprised of a suitable insulating material, such as rubber or 'mica, and is preferably given the previously noted cigarlike form or contour.

The casing is divided into two parts, 7 and 8, being divided at a point indicated in the drawings as 9, vFigs. 1 and 8, so that upon removal of the rear portion 8 thereof, by withdrawal, the interior of the device is open for inspection and for replacement of batteries 10 and 11 when they rundown. The front end portion 12 of the casing fihas firmly aflixed thereto and on the interior thereof a conductive tube 13', which metal tube runs substantially the entire length of the device, excepting a short portion in the mouth piece'endS. At the front end of this conductive tube 13, which is rigidly held 1n theouter insulator cover 12, there is located be observed that the reflector-socket portion 14 is in electrical contact with the conductive tubeor liner 13. In the interior of the conductive tube 13, there is located another insulating cylinder, or wall 15, Figs. 1 and 8, which wall is of such length as will completely insulate the batteries 10 and 11 from the conductive tube 13 so that when the batteries are in position, they are completely insulated from all portions of the device except the lamp and are in position for operation by the switch end 1, which will nowbe described.

By referring to Figs. 2, 3, 1 and 5, it will be-noted that the switch is a unit, comprising. a series of stepped cylindrical surfaces although the device itself is made of one piece. step a thereof, there is drilled a hole 16 and into which hole the slot 17 is run, thereby providing for flexible movement of the ends I) and a forming the mouth piece thereof. At the opposite endof the device from the mouthpiece, there is arranged a recessed Near the approximate center of thecylindrical head portion at and in the recess 6 is located a tension member, preferably a metal coil spring 18, which spring tends 'to keep the switch plug, generally denoted by 1, in its seat in the rear portion 8 and at the same time presses against the rear of the batter 11 in such a manner as to keep'both batter1es 10 and 11 in circuit with the conductive base of the lamp 5.

Arranged in the plug or switch member 1 is located a resilient conductive terminal member 3 similar to that disclosed in Fig.

, 7 and which conductive terminal member 3 'of the said terminal member 3 is upwardly and outwardly curved as at 3* so that this end is in contact at 'all times with the exa as posed end 13"" of the conductive tube 13.

The other contact member for closing the circuit is shown as comprising a conductive member 19' which is located and suitably-- affixed in the slot 17 so that it is held in operativealinement for cooperation with its corresponding terminal member 3, and the outer end of the conductive member 19 projects through the head portion d and is downwardly bent into the recess 6 as at 20, insuch a manner as to be in electrical contact with the spring 18 when the device is assembled for use.

The construction disclosed in the modification in Fig. 4 is substantially the same as described in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 8-with the exception that the step 9 of the plug 1 is tapered for a purpose that will be hereafter described. 1

By referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the mouth piece end of the plug 1 is compressed by being pinched between the teeth, causing the bifurcated ends to come together as-there indicated and bringing the contacts 19 and 3 together, thereby closing the circuitand causing the lamp to light.

The course of the current upon the closing of the circuit is as follows: from batteries '11 and 10 through the lamp base, lamp 5and reflector-socket 14, thence through the conductivetube 13 to the contacting raised portion 3of the contact or terminal 3 an thence through the contact 19 to the spring 18 and fromthe sprin 18 to the base of the battery 11. Upon re easing this pressure,

either by removal from the mouth or by the transferring of the pressure by the lips to the rear portion 8 for holding the device in the mouth, the switch becomes normally open, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 8, and the circuit is thereby broken. I

groove 8,

tacting of this end with the battery, the

circuit is again closed, thereby forming a push switch, as well as a pinch switch. The current in this case takes the following course: from the batteries 11 and 10 through the lamp 5 and through the reflector-socket 14 to the conductive tube 13 and from thence through the end portion 5 and the curved contacting end or butt-contact 3 to the battery 11.

A modification of the push function of this switch is indicated in Fig. 4 where the switch is indicated or being pushed forward, preferably by the fingers, and instead of causing the end of 3 to contact with the base of the battery 11, the step'g, as previously noted, has been tapered and'is fitted into a tapered seat g in the member 8 of the' casing so that when the switch plug 1 has been pushed forward from the normal position indicated by 9 shown in dotted lines, the ends of the contacts 3 and 19" are brought together as indicated for Fig. 2 through the action of the taper g and the taper seat 9 It is obvious from the foregoing that my switch therefore permits oftwo different methods of manual operation, one method permitting operation by hand and the other one permitting operation by the teeth, as in the manner of gripping a cigar, so that in the dark, both hands are left free, when this is desirable. However, I have provided another means on the same pinch and push plug switch for permitting the switch plug to be locked in closed circuit position so that the lamp 5 may be left lighted as long as it is desirable, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6. In the step a of the switch plug, I have arranged a substantially L-shaped slot or both arms of the slot being at right angles to each other comprising arms a and 8 This groove is shown n its approximate operative position in Fig. 3 and has in operative conjunction therewith a pm d" P which is fixedly located in the casing 8, --the end of said pin projecting into the slot 8 so that'the portion of theslot, 8, permits of longitudinal movement of the switch plug in the portion 8 and when the pm reaches the right angled portion 8 thereof, a slight rotation of the switch plug 1 is permitted,

thereby causing the pin to maintain the plug 1 against return by the spring 18 ,until the said plug is turned or twisted back the same time be a fair insulator against the weak currents thus utilized. In the present instance, the casing, generally denoted by 6, may be molded of hard rubber andthe interior insulation 15 may be of paper, mica, or other suitable material and the push plug itself may be molded of eitherfiber, hard rubber, or other suitable plastic material.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. A cigar shaped electric flash lamp having an electric battery and an electric lamp therein, circuit-closing means between said battery and said lamp, said circuit-closing means including a switch plug having push circuit-closing and pinch circuit-closing means in combination therein.

2. cigar shaped electric flash lamp having an electric battery and an electric lamp therein, circuit-closing means between said battery and said lamp, said circuit-closing means including a switch plug having push circuit-closing and pinch circuit-closing means in combination therein, and means on said push and pinch circuit-closing switch plug for maintaining the said plug in circuit-closing position.

3. A cigar shaped electric flash lamp comprising an insulated outer casing, a conductive tube therein, a reflector lamp socket in electrical contact with said tube, a battery chamber in said tube, batteries therein, insulating means between said'batteries and said conductive tube and a circuit-closing plug in the opposite end of said casing, said plug having means thereon whereby by pushing or pinching the same the circuit is closed and the lamp lighted.

4. In a cigar shaped pocket flash lamp of the class described, a circuit-closing plug having a slotted end and circuit closing terminals arranged in said slot.

5. In a cigar shaped pocket flash lamp of the class described.- a. circuit-closing plug having a slotted end and circuit closing terminals arranged in said slot, said plug havin v a coiled spring connector between one of said terminals and the source of electric power, one of said terminals being in contact with a conductive elementfrom said batteries.

.6. A circuit closing switch plug having a pair of conductive terminals therein, and

.means on said plug whereby upon pushing or pinching'the same, the said terminals are minals arranged in said slot.

7. A circuit closing switch plug having conductive contacting means therein, and means on said-plug whereby upon pushing or pinching the same, the said contacting means is caused toclose an electric circuit.

8. In a pocket flash lamp comprising an outer non-conductive casing, an inner conductive shell, an electric lamp reflector and socket in one end thereof and in electrical contact with said conductive shell, batteries 'in the interior of said conductive shell, battery insulating means between-said shell and said batteries, a circuit switch plug in the opposite end of said flash light, and resilient means between said batteries and said switch plug whereby the switch plug and batteries are maintained in operative position.

9. In an electric flash lamp comprising an insulated casing, a source of electric current, an electric lamp therein, conductive means between said lamp and said batteries, and a push plug circuit closing member between said source of current and said conductive means, said push plug having pinch circuitclosing means thereon.

10. In an electric circuit, a circuit closing switch plug having a pair of conductive terminals thereon, means on said plug whereby upon pinching the same the said terminals are caused to close said electric circuit, and

single acting circuit closing means whereby upon pushing the said plug only one of said terminals are caused to act in said circuit.

11. In a pocket flash lamp comprising an outer non-conductive casing, an inner conductive shell, an electric lamp reflector and socket in one end thereof and in electrical contact with said conductive shell, a lamp in said socket, batteries in tl interiornof said conductive shell, battery insulating means between said shell and said batteries, a circuit closing switch plug in the opposite end of said flash light, resilient means between said batteries and said switch plug whereby the switch plug and batteries are maintained in operative position, and a push and pinch circuit closing means on said switch plug whereby upon pushing or pinching said plug the circuit is closed between said battery and said lamp. ALEXANDER BRODY.

Witnesses H. D. PENNEY, H. I. Smonn 

